Leicester City set to lose ‘leader’ to top flight giants despite Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s ‘unthinkable’ claim

Leicester City suffered relegation from the Premier League last season, and now are poised to see one of the club’s most crucial players leave the sinking King Power ship.

Relegation from the Premier League has condemned Leicester City to the 2025/26 Championship campaign, and matters at the King Power Stadium continue on a downward spiral.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy oversaw the Foxes’ relegation from the top flight. EFL Analysis understands that the Dutchman is set to be sacked in the coming weeks, and that Sean Dyche is eyed to replace Van Nistelrooy as the new Leicester boss.

As well as the managerial uncertainty, Leicester are facing a points deduction after they were charged by the Premier League for alleged PSR breaches regarding the 2023/24 season.

Now, as the summer transfer window continues, a further blow for the Foxes has developed as one of their most high-profile players are poised to depart.

• READ MORE: Emile Heskey snubs ‘amazing’ Leicester City legend from his greatest Foxes XI of all time

Leicester City captain Conor Coady poised for Rangers transfer

Dyche is the favourite to become the new Leicester manager to spearhead the Foxes’ promotion charge next season, but if he is appointed, Dyche looks set to losing club captain Conor Coady.

Since he arrived at the King Power Stadium in the summer of 2023, English international Coady has featured 43 times for the Foxes, during their promotion from the Championship to the top flight in 2023/24, and their subsequent relegation last season.

However, in a heavy blow for the Foxes faithful, Leicester skipper Coady is now in “advanced talks” with Scottish Premier League giants Rangers, according to the Daily Record.

In an ironic turn of fate, it is former Southampton boss and Leicester manager target Russell Martin who looks set to secure the centre-back’s services for next season.

Martin was once the favourite to succeed Van Nistelrooy this summer, but Martin snubbed Leicester after agreeing terms, in favour of the Ibrox role, and now he is set to rub salt into the Foxes’ wounds by recruiting skipper Coady.

Apart from the Martin connection, the element to Coady’s imminent transfer to the Scottish giants that will sting the most for the Leicester faithful is centred around the comments made by Van Nistelrooy only four months ago, about the defender’s Foxes future.

• READ MORE: Leicester City legend ‘excited’ after landing new job in English football, he will want to improve record

Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s ‘unthinkable’ Conor Coady claims backfire

Back in the January transfer window amid Leicester’s ill-fated Premier League campaign, Coady was linked with a swap deal for Wolves’ Craig Dawson on deadline day that would have seen him return to Molineux in place of his countryman.

However, the deal didn’t materialise and Coady remained at the club, captaining the side during their relegation.

Van Nistelrooy leapt to his captain’s defence regarding the suggestions Coady was keen to leave the sinking Leicester ship halfway through the season, during their fight for top flight survival, stressing he had no concerns over Coady’s Leicester loyalty with his contract set to expire in June 2026.

As per Leicestershire Live, Van Nistelrooy said: “I didn’t hear anything from his side where he asked to leave. That is totally not true. If that is what is being said, it’s not true.

“He is a big part in this squad. He’s one of our leaders. He’s such a character that when he doesn’t play, he’s still that leader, he’s still helping the team, coaching the team, talking to players, pushing everybody to their highest levels in training sessions.

“For me it was unthinkable for him to go. But from his side, there were no signs he wanted to leave.”

Now, only a matter of months later, the former Everton defender is poised to leave Leicester and join the Ibrox outfit ahead of the Gers’ Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos in July.

Unfortunately for the Foxes faithful, the “unthinkable” in the words of imminently departing Van Nistelrooy has become reality regarding captain Coady’s departure to Scottish top flight Rangers.

Rob Edwards releases first statement after being appointed as new Middlesbrough manager

Rob Edwards has spoken for the first time since being appointed as the new Middlesbrough manager.

EFL Analysis confirmed that Edwards would be appointed by Middlesbrough after they made the decision to sack Michael Carrick at the end of last season.

Danny Rohl was one of the names in contention for the job at the Riverside Stadium but in the end they decided to pick the former Luton Town boss as their choice to navigate the 2025/26 Championship season.

Edwards has been tasked with taking Boro to the Premier League in his first season in charge and following confirmation of his appointment, has spoken to supporters for the first time.

• READ MORE: Championship expert questions Rob Edwards’ appointment by Middlesbrough as ‘style of play’ fear issued